Man charged in connection with 2011 rape

Locus

Published: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 10:06 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 2:20 p.m.

Police arrested a Gainesville man early Tuesday in connection with the rape of female student at knifepoint in 2011.

Andre Locus, 19, was arrested at 4427 NW 31st Ave. by the Gainesville Police Department, and was assisted by the University of Florida Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.

Police said Locus is considered a “person of interest” in the recent armed burglary and sexual battery of a UF student on Southwest 10th Street based on similarities in the composite sketch and surveillance video in that case.

Locus also has a criminal history involving theft and burglarizing an occupied dwelling, police said.

On Monday, GPD investigators said they received forensic evidence that linked Locus to the April 2011 case. Police said the man forced his way into a home in the 1200 block of Southwest First Avenue armed with a knife and raped a female student.

The rapist then stole her personal electronics and fled, police said.

GPD Detective Scott Bertzyk and Detective Sgt. John Nabet presented this forensic evidence to Judge Mary Day Coker, who issued a warrant for the arrest of Locus.

When Locus was arrested, he had in his possession property that had been stolen last week from another occupied dwelling at 1123 SW First Ave., according to the report.

The victims in the First Avenue burglary were sleeping at the time, and awoke to find a laptop, cash and iphone had been stolen.

GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias, who has been urging greater vigilance among area residents, noted that the victims in that burglary lived in close proximity to the 10th street burglary and sexual assault that occurred on April 15. The intruder made his way inside the dwellings in both cases through an unlocked back door, police said.

After his arrest, Locus took investigators to a stash of property in a nearby wooded area that investigators believe had been stolen in numerous area burglaries.

In Locus' jail photo, he has a visible large abrasion covering the side of his face. Authorities say the injury was sustained in a bike accident just days ago.

<p>Police arrested a Gainesville man early Tuesday in connection with the rape of female student at knifepoint in 2011.</p><p>Andre Locus, 19, was arrested at 4427 NW 31st Ave. by the Gainesville Police Department, and was assisted by the University of Florida Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>Police said Locus is considered a “person of interest” in the recent armed burglary and sexual battery of a UF student on Southwest 10th Street based on similarities in the composite sketch and surveillance video in that case. </p><p>Locus also has a criminal history involving theft and burglarizing an occupied dwelling, police said.</p><p>On Monday, GPD investigators said they received forensic evidence that linked Locus to the April 2011 case. Police said the man forced his way into a home in the 1200 block of Southwest First Avenue armed with a knife and raped a female student.</p><p>The rapist then stole her personal electronics and fled, police said.</p><p>GPD Detective Scott Bertzyk and Detective Sgt. John Nabet presented this forensic evidence to Judge Mary Day Coker, who issued a warrant for the arrest of Locus.</p><p>When Locus was arrested, he had in his possession property that had been stolen last week from another occupied dwelling at 1123 SW First Ave., according to the report.</p><p>The victims in the First Avenue burglary were sleeping at the time, and awoke to find a laptop, cash and iphone had been stolen.</p><p>GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias, who has been urging greater vigilance among area residents, noted that the victims in that burglary lived in close proximity to the 10th street burglary and sexual assault that occurred on April 15. The intruder made his way inside the dwellings in both cases through an unlocked back door, police said.</p><p>After his arrest, Locus took investigators to a stash of property in a nearby wooded area that investigators believe had been stolen in numerous area burglaries.</p><p>In Locus' jail photo, he has a visible large abrasion covering the side of his face. Authorities say the injury was sustained in a bike accident just days ago.</p>